PFF sees Chargers as team to 'surprise' in 2018

With the 2018 NFL season approaching, writers, fans, and analysts are starting to compile their predictions on how they feel everything is going to play out. For Pro Football Focus, they released their five teams who could surprise and earn a wild-card spot, and the Chargers were among the Bears, Texans, Chiefs and Redskins.

This list may come as a surprise to many Bolt fans that they only see Los Angeles as a wild card team when they have been slotted as early Super Bowl favorites, let alone favorites to win the AFC West division.

While their 2017 season ended on a disappointing note by just missing the playoffs, it is clear that L.A. is trending in the right direction for the first time in a long time, especially after their offseason acquisitions.

The Chargers have all of their defensive starters locked in with the addition of safety Derwin James, edge rusher Uchenna Nwosu, defensive tackle Justin Jones, and linebacker Kyzir White. The Bolts will also get several playmakers back on offense, including quarterback Philip Rivers, wide receiver Keenan Allen, running back Melvin Gordon, the second-round selection from 2017, offensive guard Forrest Lamp, tight end Hunter Henry and the newest member in the trenches, center Mike Pouncey.

Would it really be a “teams who could surprise in [insert year here]” without the Chargers? 2018 has the potential to be different through, because this is a team with a defense that just might be the best in the NFL, and an offense that is set up to give Philip Rivers one last push. Healthier in 2017, Keenan Allen was one of our top-five graded receivers in the NFL while Hunter Henry was our second-highest graded tight end, and should see an increase in playing time with Antonio Gates no longer around.

The edge of the Chargers defense should terrify opposing quarterbacks, with Melvin Ingram (91.9) and Joey Bosa (91.7) our sixth- and seventh-highest graded players at the position, respectively. They combined for 24 sacks, 23 hits and 102 hurries in 2017, and there’s no real reason to expect much, if any, drop off in 2018. Add in that they have our highest graded cornerback from 2017 in Casey Hayward, one of the most impressive rookies in the slot from a year ago in Desmond King and added talented in safety Derwin James out of Florida State, and this is a defense built to dominate this season.